A nanny is a true innovator!

When you are on the front lines with kids you have to be able to keep thinking. It really brings new meanings to the term "be on your toes". There are thousands of books, hundreds of experts, and countless sources to find new solutions for kids. But the one thing I have learned in my 15 or so years is that no two kids, really no two families are alike which means you always have to be a creative problem solver.

Enter my current situation with a 10 year old charge. He is entering into that hormone induced, moody, pre teen stage that no one warns you about. Oh, I know teenagers can be rough, but I find the transition to be even tougher. I have been down this road before, the advantage of being a nanny is that you do see these things over and over, so I know the drill. I have read the advice and studied up on current theory. We try to set fair limits. We give him some space. We teach him alternatives. We reason with him. Still his grumpy, sassy, angry behavior was driving me crazy!

So I made him grumpy coupons this week. Simple pieces of paper that say "I am in a bad mood, please leave me alone" and I told him he could use these when he was angry for no good reason. I then gave him some parameters, like he had to still treat people with respect, he had to be ready to go on time to activities, and he could not use these coupons during holidays and family obligations. The piece of paper was just a different way for him to communicate how he was feeling, and gave him a nicer, and somewhat humorous way to to ask to be left alone.

I don't know if they will work, but he did say thanks for them. He now is thinking about how to solve the problem instead of fighting against me.

I know lots of nannies who are creative problem solvers like this. You have to constantly be thinking of new ways to approach the situations that crop up. It is the most exciting part of the job really, that there are always challenges to face.